Neighbourhood Plan - adopted

Following much consultation, a full Neighbourhood Area Plan for Steeton, Eastburn and Silsden was submitted to Bradford Council in early 2019. Consultation (under Regulation 16) on the Steeton with Eastburn and Silsden Neighbourhood Plan commenced on Tuesday 17th September 2019 and ran for six weeks until 5pm on Tuesday 29th October 2019. A dedicated Facebook page for the Neighbourhood Plan can be found here.

Following the consultation, all comments made together with Neighbourhood Plan and supporting documents were submitted to an independent examiner who undertook an examination of the plan in line with statutory requirements, and the Plan went to referendum. Following a positive result in the referendum held in the Steeton with Eastburn Parish and Silsden Town Council areas on 6th May 2021, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC) has adopted (made) the Steeton with Eastburn and Silsden Neighbourhood Development Plan as part of the statutory development for the district on 7th June 2021. This decision was made in line with provisions of section 38A(4)(a) of the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by the Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017) and Regulation 19 of Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended). This means that the plan will be given full weight in determining planning applications within the Steeton with Eastburn and Silsden neighbourhood area. The adopted (made) version of the Steeton with Eastburn & Silsden Neighbourhood Development Plan and decision statement can be viewed on/downloaded from Bradford Council website (copy of statement below), and copies of the plan and decision statement are also being made available at Britannia House (Customer Service Centre), Keighley Town Hall and Silsden Library over the next few days. They will also be provided to the Steeton with Eastburn Parish Council to allow access to local residents.

The previous screening had highlighted heritage issues that could have necessitated a full Strategic Environmental Assessment. Historic England were consulted on the revised screening and a copy of their response is below:

A planning policy assessment can be found below:

What is Neighbourhood Planning?

The Localism Act 2011 introduced statutory neighbourhood planning in England. It enables communities to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan for their area and is intended to give communities more of a say in the development of their local area (within certain limits and parameters). A Neighbourhood Plan is a community-led framework for guiding the future development and growth of an area. It may contain a vision, aims, planning policies, proposals for improving the area or providing new facilities, or allocation of key sites for specific kinds of development. Neighbourhood Plans relate to the use and development of land and associated social, economic and environmental issues. It may deal with a wide range of issues (like housing, employment, heritage and transport) or it may focus on one or two issues that are of particular importance in a local area. A Neighbourhood Plan will be subject to examination and referendum and then form part of the Local Development Plan. This statutory status gives Neighbourhood Plans far more weight than some other local planning documents, such as parish plans, community plans and village design statements.

Steeton with Eastburn Parish Council and Silsden Town Council decided to jointly develop a Neighbourhood Plan. A working group with members from both Councils was set up, several public engagement events were held and copies of the draft plan made available for comment. Following the formal consultation period, the plan was amended and sent to Bradford Council, who arranged for it to be considered by a planning inspector and will then organise a public referendum on whether or not it should be accepted. If accepted the plan will form part of planning guidance for the area and must be taken in to consideration for planning applications.

Background information about the Bradford Council planning process can be found below:

A map of the proposed Neighborhood Plan area can be found below:

A total of £15,000 has been received in grants from the Government for neighbourhood planning work, via the organisation Locality. Neighbourhood area status has been granted to the two Councils acting jointly.